The Best Toys for Girls in 2019 – Our Top Picks by Age

Do you have a little girl that you want to surprise with a toy she’ll love?

Maybe you’re looking for a gift for a toddler girl and you need a toy that will feed her fascination with cause and effect. Or maybe you have a preschooler who never seizes to astonish you with how much she’s grown and learned to express herself. Either way, toys are meant to feed children’s inexhaustible curiosity, cultivate and develop their skills, and simply present the world to them in a way that’s fun and fascinating. We’ve taken all of this into consideration and picked out our favorite toys for girls ages 1 to 5. Have a look so you can be sure to get something that your little girl will use extensively.

Top Rated Toys & Gift Ideas by Age for Girls

Fisher Price Laugh & Learn Puppy & Friends Learning Table

This learning table is a really great toy for when you need to keep your child occupied so you can get some house chores done. That’s because it is completely safe for her to play with alone – and she’ll be so engulfed in the interactive play.

The learning table has 4 modes of play: Learning, Music, Imagination, and Bilingual. It gives support to a child who’s just learning to balance on her feet, with the interactive content at each table corner encouraging her to walk around the table and try all the different features: laptop, phone, book, and piano. There are over 60 songs, phrases and melodies for her to explore and many interactive features for realistic role-play.

It’s perfect for this age because it introduces first words, opposites, shapes, numbers, letters, and more. Overall, it’s a very fun and educational toy for a 1 year old, as it doesn’t just introduce new concepts in both English and Spanish, but also helps promote fine motor skills.

Pros:

Bilingual learning

Legs can be detached for floor play

Power and volume control available

Batteries included

Cons:

Very loud even at the lowest volume setting

VTech Care for Me Learning Carrier

Here’s a toy that a 2 year old girl will get attached to very easily, and she’ll learn with it effortlessly. The interactive pet carrier offers playful songs, melodies, and phrases to introduce colors, shapes, letters, and opposites. The light-up buttons, sliding letter beads, and the carrier gate are a great way to build your child’s fine motor skills, offering a response to each of her actions; this, as you know, is very important (and delightful), especially for children at this age.

But there’s more: a cute plush puppy comes with the carrier, as well as some pet care accessories. She’ll love taking care of her puppy, combing and feeding it, engaging in imaginative role-play. Just watch, you’ll be endeared by the sight of her playing with the puppy, as will your child by her new pet. This makes the carrier not only a great learning toy for 2 year olds but also a wonderful way to cultivate a toddler’s sense of empathy and love for other creatures.

Pros:

Compact and lightweight

Handles that are easy to grip by small hands

Demo batteries included

Cons:

Carrier gate difficult for a 2 year old to open

Leap Frog Ice Cream Cart

At the age of 3, a child’s cognitive, social, and emotional development becomes visibly remarkable. For that reason, we have a great responsibility regarding the toys we get them – they need to gently steer this development in the right direction, all the while engaging the child and offering her fun, versatile playtime.

The LeapFrog Ice Cream Cart does all this marvelously. As your little girl pushes the cart around, she will further develop her gross motor skills, all the while being entertained and stimulated by upbeat tunes. She will engage in creative role play, running her own ice cream shop and making yummy treats for her customers.

The set features 6 cute order cards with instructions that a child this age can follow, which will help build her memory and sequencing skills through play. The Magic scooper introduces colors and flavors by voice, helping your child follow the instructions. There are also other interactive buttons and numerous phrases to help learn colors and numbers. It’s a really engaging toy in numerous ways, and it will surely be a hit during playdates.

Pros:

Great for both indoors and outdoors

Numerous interactive features

Handy compartment can store all 22 pieces of the set

Batteries included

Cons:

Batteries need to be replaced often

Fox Print Princess Castle Play Tent with Glow in the Dark Stars

Kids love having their own special sanctuary to “hide away” and immerse themselves in their private imaginative worlds, and at the age of 4, they really appreciate a setup such as this one. The inside of the tent is decorated with hearts and glow-in-the dark stars – a truly magical little “cave”.

It will be a comfy little place for your girl to dream in and bring her favorite toys to – and you can even crawl inside to get in on the fun. It will be a bit cramped with you inside, but you won’t be able to resist and enjoy her world with her for at least a couple of minutes.

And that’s not all: the princess tent takes just a couple of minutes to set up and it doesn’t take up a lot of room. You can always deconstruct it and pack it up inside a compact and lightweight zipper carry bag – take the magical fortress to the next adventure destination, whether indoors or outdoors!

Pros:

Quick and easy to assemble

Sturdy and durable

Folds away easily for compact storage

Portable zipper carry bag provided

Cons:

There’s no roof vent to let the heat out

Lego Jasmine

Building sets are the best gifts for 5 year olds. They introduce them to some basic building concepts, enhance their problem-solving and logic skills, and keep them entertained for hours, making combinations, constructing and deconstructing as they wish. The best part is that children feel very proud once they construct sets such as this one, and proceed to find imaginative ways to play with them once the building is over.

This Lego set is a wonderful gift for a 5 year old girl who loves Disney princesses – and chances are, you’re very likely to have such a girl at home. The palace is stunning, and there’s also a magic carpet, a fountain, a palm tree and market stall.

There are also other accessories, such as a magic lamp and beautiful figurines of Princess Jasmine and Rajah the Tiger. Once she’s built the palace, she’ll think up numerous adventures for the princess and the tiger to go on, playing imaginatively for hours. It’s also an ideal set for a friend (or even you!) to join in on the fun.

Pros:

Includes stickers for decorating

Various accessories for imaginative play

Useful instruction booklets to help building

Cons:

Small dimensions of the palace

LEGO Friends Hot Air Balloon

For girls who can’t wait to go on adventures and explore the world, LEGO Friends Hot Air Balloon is the perfect toy. She will be glad to help Andrea and Noah look for the perfect picnic spot and she’ll enjoy building it. Because this is the age where children are more confident in their own abilities and careful with their toys, this LEGO set will be the toy she will enjoy playing with, but it’s best to supervise them at least in the beginning.

The toy itself isn’t difficult to assemble even though parents might want to supervise and perhaps assist the girls a bit when they first start playing with it. The picnic and the hot air balloon theme are great for their imaginations because girls will come up with all these different stories about the adventures of Andrea and Noah, and they can combine the set with other LEGO sets.

Pros:

Pieces fit with other standard LEGO sets

Inspires imagination

Helps develop fine motor skills

Cons:

It might be difficult for some to put the balloon together

Disney Princess Little Kingdom

Is there a girl who doesn’t like princesses? It would probably be difficult to find one that doesn’t, which is why this Disney Princess Little Kingdom set is the best gift for7 year oldgirls. With this charming set, little girls will have a chance to recreate all of their favorite scenes from Disney movies, and perhaps even come up with interesting new scenarios in which different princesses meet and go on new adventures together.

Thanks to the innovative clothes pin clip method, girls will be able to undress and re-dress the dolls easily and without any assistance, so their creativity and imagination will once again be put to use as they come up with different outfits for each and every princess in the set. Even the tiniest hands will be able to master the process of getting the dresses on and off the dolls and girls will play with them for hours.

Pros:

Every princess wear her signature gown

Dresses can be changed easily

Seven different dolls in a set

Cons:

Rather pricey

The rubber band that holds the dress on can easily be taken off

Nancy B's Science Club Microscope

Any parent will be able to confirm that 8 year old girlsare very curious and inquisitive, always looking for ways to have fun and learn something new about the world. This is the age when they’re trying to grow up and be ‘serious’, and their curiosity is helping them get there. And is there a better way to help your girl learn about the world than to encourage her to take a good look with Nancy B’s Science Club Microscope?

This is a wonderful toy that encourages STEM learning and makes kids curious about the world. Thanks to the informative activity guide, girls will be able to roam around and collect different specimens they will later on put under the microscope and study in detail. When they fall in love with the process, they might want to work in the lab and be scientists when they grow up.

Pros:

Encourages STEM learning

Comes with an activity journal and a 26-piece tool set

Cons:

Batteries required but not included

Lego Friends Heartlake Shopping Mall

The gentle age of nine is where little girls really want to appear older; they look up to older sisters and friends and want to spend time doing things that grownup girls do, such as spending time at the mall. On the other hand, they still like playing with dolls, which is why Heartlike Shopping Mall by LEGO is the best gift for 9 year old girls.

The set comes with four dolls, a dog, and a car, and the mall itself revolving door as well as several shops, spa, and food court. Even though there are different shops and accompanying items, the best thing about this set is the fact that the girls can put it together on their own. This will allow them to get creative and even spark an interest for design and architecture while they’re building a dream mall for their toys.

Pros:

Includes a lot of pieces and small items

Compatible with other LEGO classic sets

Cons:

Very pricey

Because it contains a lot of pieces, some girls might lose interest

Anki Cozmo Robot

There is a widespread belief that coding is for boys, but it’s a misconception, seeing as girls can code just as well boys can. Anki Cozmo Robot is a great gift for 10 year old girls because it introduces them to coding in a fun and easy way, thus showing them just how much they can do if only they put their minds to it.

The robot is an adorable companion who will keep the children entertained and spend hours playing interesting games with them. There are also three cubes that the robot will use to play games with children, and its software is such that the more time the child spends in his company, the better he will be at recognizing her face and identifying her emotions. What is more, he can also express a lot of different emotions including curiosity and happiness, which will make the child feel like they’re playing with a living companion.

Pros:

No parts to put together

Durable and sturdy

Introduces basic coding

Cons:

Doesn’t come with USB power adapter

You will need a newer smartphone to operate it

Choosing the Right Toys: Age-by-age Guide for Girls

Considering how quickly children develop and change the way they play, you want to get a toy that’s ideal for your girl’s age and that she will not outgrow too quickly. That’s something that will both entertain her and support the developmental stage she’s in.

To understand what would be the best gift for your girl, it’s important to understand how children prefer to play at that age, so we’re going to present you some key points in the following age-by-age guide.

As we mentioned earlier, kids are fascinated by cause and effect at this stage of growth. That means that they love toys which are designed to respond to their actions, stimulating them to learn in the process. These toys also help them make use of their fine motor skills, which are just in the process of developing.

Buttons, melodies, tunes, opening and closing – anything interactive that responds to their input and requires them to do things is a great gift. A lot of toys for 1 year olds teach letter, numbers, colors, shapes, opposites – it’s a great way to introduce new concepts to your child, although it’s not expected for her to learn numbers and letters yet.

At this age, you can be guided by the same principles of choosing toys for a 1 year old. In fact, they’ll likely be playing with their old toys still. Just introduce something a little bit more complicated when getting newer toys – whether it’s something that requires just a bit higher fine motor skills, or something with more options, buttons, and tunes.

This is also the time to get toys that help them maintain their balance and encourage gross-motor skills – a stand-up activity center that helps them stay balanced is a great choice.

Now that your child is much better at maintaining balance, it’s the perfect time to encourage walking and building gross-motor skills with push-along toys. Ride on toys are also ideal at this age, as she will be much better at balancing on them without help. Also, she will have more developed fine motor skills now, so she’ll be entertained by toys that require some niftiness and nimble fingers. Look for toys with numerous pieces that can be combined together to make new sets, which will also be a great way to build sequencing and building skills.

You know it already: once they reach the age of 4, there’s an explosion of leanring ability. Your child’s play becomes more purposeful and she needs a challenge. Not just that, but you’ll notice how she’s starting to express her unique personality and characteristics – children express a strong sense of self at this age.

She’ll be imagining intricate worlds inside hear head, and the best thing you can do is cultivate her imagination through toys that encourage creativity and role play or just let her invent new ways of using them.

Whether you agree with it or not, you might notice that your little girl prefers stereotypical “girl-toys”. Don’t fight it, because this is only a time of strong self-expression. Maybe she likes to mimic her mother or is really fascinated by Disney princesses.

Get toys that support her current fascinations but also promote problem-solving and use of logic. Building sets are a great example, and they encourage imaginative role play once the building is finished. This is also a time to encourage sharing and socialization, so choose toys that can be played with in two’s or groups.

This is the gentle age when children start expressing their own needs and wants and start to have a better understanding of the world around them. They love to play games that allow them to use their imagination and role-play activities are among the most interesting games for them.

The best toys for 6 year old girls would include the ones that promote social interaction, as this is the time when they start making friends and learn to share. They will also benefit greatly from being exposed to and encouraged to do arts and crafts, as it helps develop their motor skills further.

It seems like 7 year old girls want nothing else than to play games and this is a good thing as any form of play will improve their sensory learning. They still love pretend-play, but now they’re growing increasingly curious and start playing outside their ‘old’ boundaries. They start using their imagination more and can even make elaborate scenarios in their minds.

The best toy for girls age 7 would be the ones that will help nurture their innate curiosity and allow them to be as creative as they want. This is also a good idea to introduce some educational values and help them prepare for school.

Girls age 8 and older learn about the importance of school and education, but they are still trying to find ways to turn their tasks into games, an approach that will help them a lot later in life. They know that school is their obligation, but they would much rather spend time outside; so why not help them get the best of both worlds? Toys that girls this age will love most are educational but also fun, and it’s even better if they are able to share them with their friends and invite them to play together.

Even though they are still little girls who love their dolls, 9 year olds are approaching that tricky “tween” age that’s s exhausting for both them and their parents. This is why toys should help ease this transition and show them that getting older and more mature is not a simple step, but rather a long process. Toys that they will choose at this age would combine elements of childhood and adulthood and allow them to pretend they’re older. Toys should entertain them and make them feel safe, but they should also be educational as they will soon start middle school and their academic achievement is very important too.

This is the age where children should learn a lot not just about the world, but about themselves as well. That way, they will feel more confident in their own abilities and strengths and will be ready to tackle the big challenges that lie ahead: puberty.

Pay close attention to their interests, but don’t shy away from encouraging them to step out of their comfort zones and try to find something new they will love: princesses, robots, dinosaurs, art, singing, dancing, sports… Get them toys that will further improve the talents and abilities they already have and perhaps even help them discover some they didn’t even know they possess.

Criteria we used

Here are the things we considered when choosing the best toys for girls:

Safety – Naturally, this is the primary concern with anything regarding children, so we made sure each toy we picked is safe to use for a kid at the given age.

Developmental stage – When choosing the best toys for girls, we were guided by the previously listed factors that point to the learning needs of children at various developmental stages.

Durability – At later stages, girls are usually somewhat more careful and less destructive with their toys than boys are. Nevertheless, it’s important that their toys are made of quality material that can withstand extensive use.

Age-appropriateness – As this was a list of toys determined by age, normally, we considered toys that are easily accessible to a girl of the specific age. This means that we looked for toys that your child would know how to make use of, even if they’re not strictly directed at that certain age. We took into account things such as the size of the pieces so that they can support the development of fine motor skills but without being too large for small hands to grasp.

Play value– we looked for toys that offer versatility and can engage your child in different ways. Toys such as these are much less likely to be cast away quickly, they help enhance various skills, and they also encourage children to invent their own ways of playing.

FAQ

How do I encourage my child to share?

The earlier you start, the better. Sharing can be typically difficult for toddlers, so it’s always helpful to reward fair play with encouraging gestures, clapping, and treats. Once they get a little older, consider reading to them age-appropriate stories directed at learning to share.

What should I do if a puzzle is frustrating my kid?

Frustration occurs sometimes during play if a certain activity, such as puzzles or sequencing, is too difficult for a child to complete on their own. They have an idea of the result or output they should be getting, but can’t seem to achieve it, which can result in anxiousness, giving up, or even tantrums. Make sure you cultivate a stress-free environment for your child to grow and play in – and don’t force toys that are meant for older children. Try putting on some relaxing music during brainy activities.

It is important to teach children from a young age that the process itself is important, and if something doesn’t work out the first time, persistence and practice will help them achieve any goal. Help your little girl out by steering her gently in the right direction that will help solve the problem at hand – give helpful hints, but never the entire solution.

Conclusion

Lastly, keep in mind that your job doesn’t end with getting the gift for your little girl and seeing the delighted look on her face. Jump in on the fun from time to time! Especially past the toddler age, your child will really appreciate the time you’re investing, although she might not show it directly. Quality time will further strengthen the bond between you two, and it’s also a great opportunity for you to remember what it’s like to be and think like a child. We could all use that. Also, if you are looking for best toys for boys and want something to buy your son we covered that in our other article so be sure to check it out.

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